Rotary gasolene-engine.



' H. HENDRIGKS.

4 ROTARY GASOLENB ENGINE. APPLICATION FILED APR.22, 1911.

1,034,451.. Patented Aug. 6,1912.

3 SHEETS-SHEET 1.

H. HENDRICKS. RQTARY GASOLBNB ENGINE. i

APPLICATION FILED APR.2Z, 1911.

1,034,455 1 Patented Aug. 6, 191'2.

3 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

H. HENDRIGKS.

ROTARY GASOLENE ENGINE. APPLICATION FILED APR.22,1911.

, 1,034,455 l. Patented Aug. 6,1912.

UNirnD sfrnfrns Parana* onirica.

HENRY HENDRICKS, OF ALTON, ILLINOIS, .ASSIGNOR OF ONE-HALF TO FRED R. HENDRICKS, F ALTON, ILLINOIS.

ROTARY GAsoLnNE-ENGINE.

specification of Leners Patent.

Application ledlApril 22, 1911. Serial No. 622,666.

Patenten Aug. c, 191 e.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, HENRY HnNDRIoKs, a

l citizen of the United States, and resident of Alton, Madison county, Illinois, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Rotary Gasolene-Engines, of which the following is a specilication containing a full, clear, and exact description, reference being had to the accompanying drawings,

'forming a part hereof.

My lnvention relates to an improved rotary gasolene engine, and consists in the novel Vconstruction and arrangement of parts hereinafter specified andclaimed.

The ob'ect'of my invention is to provide a more e cientand simplified construct-ion.

in rotary engines; and further to provide a rotary engine which shall be light and simple, as well as devoid of any objectionable vibration, l

In the drawings: Figure 1 is a sectional side elevation of a rotary engine embodying my invention, the section 'being taken on line 1-1 -of Fig. 2; Fig. 2 is a sectional .front elevation f my engine, the section being taken on line 2 2 of Fig. l; Fig. 3

is a sectional side elevation similar to Fig.`

2, but with the parts in a different relative position; and Fig. 4 is an inverted plan View of the segmental piston detached, looking at the same in t-he direction indicated by At-he arrow 4 of Fig. 3; Figs. ,5 and 6 are detail views of the electrical connections.

The numeral 1, indicates a fixed cylindrical casing having the usual 'supporting brackets 2, by means of which latter the engine may be supported by the frame work of an automobile, aeroplane, or in any suitable location to which it may be adapted. Within said casing 1, all of the rotating parts are mounted to revolve. Within said casing 1 isa revolving cylinder 3, which may be called the annular cylinder, because it has a circular bore 4 in which vibrates the segmental piston Mounted in suitable bearings 6, in the said revolving cylinder 3 is a crankshaft 7 having crank 8, to which is connected one 'end of the connecting rod 9, the opposite end of said` connecting rod 'being mounted on a pistonpin 10 carried by said segmental piston 5, so that when said piston vibrates in its cylinder it will make regular strokes therein, and the said crank-shaft will .make corresponding revolutions in its bearings. The

said revolving cylinder 3, is fixed upon the main-shaft l1 by means of keys 12, and said main-shaft revolves in the bearings 13 carried by the opposite heads of the said casing 1. Said casing is preferably made, as shown, in two mating sections, the meeting edges of which are rabbeted together at 11 to make 'a tight-joint and the sections are secured by means of screws, or bolts 15, passing through one section and engaging the opposite section. Said bolts 15 are spaced apart and disposed near the periphery of the said sections.

It is obvious that a sun and planet type of gearing must be employed for connecting the crank-shaft 7 to the fixed casing 1. It is further obvious that the gearing may be located atone end or it may be duplicated, so a sunand planet gearing will' I equally distribute the strain at each end of said crank-shaft and apply -the power equally to both of the heads of the revolving cylinder 3, and thereby revolve the malnshaft 11.

16 indicates gear wheels which are fixed by means of screws 17 to theinner face of the opposite sections of the casing l, so that the main-shaft 11 revolves within said gear wheels, and the crank-shaft gear wheels 18 being of the same size and pitch as said gear wheels 1.6, are liXed upon said crankshaft by means of keys 19, and revolve with said crank-shaft and simultaneously rotate around the said iiXed gear wheels 16. (See Fig. 1.)

The revolving cylinder 3 is preferably composed of two mating sections, the meeting edges of which are provided with rabbets v14, similar to those of the sections of the Acasing 1, and the two sections of the.

said cylinder are secured together by bolts 20. The said piston 5 is provided with an integral neck 21, which connects it to its hub 22, which latter is mounted loosely to rock on the main-shaft 11. `The said mainshaft- 11 is provided at' one end with an axial bore 23, the outer end of which is closed by a plug 24. Lateral openings 25 and 2G are formed in the main-shaft and commni'cate with the said axial bore 23. The outer lateral opening 25 communicates,

`at all times, with an annular passage 27, `forinedlin the adjacent bearing 13, and the threaded connection 23 is provided for the accommodation of a carbureter so that a proper mixture of gas and air may be fed to the engine. Any well known'form of carbureter may be employed. By means of the annular passage 27, communication between the carbureter.connection 28 and the axial bore 23 is maintained at all times. From the axial. bore 23. of t-he main-shaft the mixture passes by way of the lateral opening 2G into a recess 23 formed in the piston hub 22, and from thence passes directly into the crank space of the bore 4 of the annular revolving cylinder 3. (See Figs. 2 and 3.)

The numeral 30 indicates a lateral groove or cut-away portion in the piston hub 22, for the purpose of permitting the crank end of the connecting rod 9 to pass said head during operation of the engine.

31 indicates a circular abutment provided with a common packing ring 32 and fixed-- being set within a common groove-in the cylinder bore 4, so as to actas the xed end of the cylinder and permitting the charge of gas from the crank case to be compressed and fired Within the space between the free end of thepiston 5 and the said circular abutment 31. Although the abutment 32 does not move, yet I have found it necessary to provide it with a packing ring for the urpose of preventing leakage past its perip ery.

33 indicates the induction port, by means of which 'the mixture may pass into the compressingand firing space of the cylinder, and 34 indicates the exhaust port which is located in the wall of thecylinder almost diametricall y opposite the induction port 33. The space in which the crank-shaft and connecting rod are located in the cylinder 3, may be called, the crank ease and will be hereinafter so called.

At this point I would state that my improved rotaryengine is preferably constructed to operate upon what is known as the two cycle principle. The piston 5 is provided with the usual packing rings 35 and the deflcctor 36. rlfhe usual electrical sparking coil and battery or other Source of electricity, are made use of. A common spark plug 37 is inserted in an aperture 38 in the wall of the revolving cylinder 3, so

that its spark points will project into the space' between the end of the piston which carries the said deflector 36 and the circular abutment 31, to explode the charge in said space at the proper time. (Sec Fig. (3.) Of course it is necessary to provide a suitable mechanism for making electrical contact with said spark plug during the rotation of the cylinder, and in the dra-wing I have illustrated one form of such apparatus, which I will now proceed to describe. Carried upon the exterior of the revolving cylinder 3, at a point closely adjacent the spa-rk plug 37, is a metallic contact 39, which is insulated from the cylinder by block of insulation 40, recessed in the outer wall of said cylinder. The contact 39 is connected to the spark plug 37 by suitable wire 41. 'Fixed upon the outer Wall of the casing 1, but insulated therefrom, is a bracket 42, which supports the outer end ofA the contact pin 43. The said contact pin projects through an aperture in the wall of the casing 1, but is insulated therefrom by ferrule 44 and the inner end of said contact pin is'bcveled, or rounded, at 45 so that it may readily Contact with and pass over the Contact plate 39. The spring 46 is coiled about the outer end of the said contact pin 43, so that the inner end of said spring will engage a collar 47 on said pin, while the outer end of said spring 'engages said bracket 42, to normally urge the said pin toward said contact 39. Current from the battery and spark coil (not shown) is conveyed to said contact pin through a flat spring 48, thereby permitting the said pin to slightly reciprocate in its bearings while its inner end is being engaged by and disengaged from the said contact 39.

My engine may be cooled by any common form of air or water cooling devices. The cooling, water or air can be forced into the space between the revolving cylinder 3 and its casing 1 l and make its exit through the exhaust opening 50; or it may be injected thereat and educted at any other desired point. In some instances the casing 1 may be cut away almost entirely, thereby leaving only a common frame to support the parts which require a fixed support. In case of an air cooled engine the omission of the casing 1, would, of course, permit the cylinder 3 to rotate in the open air and so would be effectively and .satisfactorily cooled, especially if' it were provided with the Well known cooling ribs The operation is as follows: The revolving cylinder and all parts carried thereby rotate in the direction indicated'by the arrows in Fig. 3, that is toward the left hand. The direction of the outward stroke of the piston 5 is indicated by the arrow 49, in Fig. 2. iVith the parts in position as they are shown in Fig. 3, a charge of gas has previously been compressed in the crank case by the previous outward stroke of the'l piston 5, and the said charge rushes through the port into the explosion chamber between the end `of the piston and the adjacentabutment 31, striking the deflector 36 and thereby being thrown toward the said :'ilnitmcnt, and at. the same time.scaveng ing the cylinder and driving out any remnants of the previous combustion through .Il-3

' course, be forced outwardl the exhaust port 34, which latter is now op-v posite the exhaust Opening 50 at the bottom of the casing. It'will be understood that a suitable exhaust pipe can be connected by any skilled workman to the said exhaustopening 50. The engine is ofcourse started inthe usual manner by turning the mainshaft 11, which may be done bythe usual starting crank. The charge is compressed bythe piston 5 moving toward the abut ment 31, which it will do until it reaches the position in which it is shown in Fig. 2, at which point the charge will be fully compressed, and will be ignited by the spark from the spark plug 37; as soon as the charge has been ignited the away from the abutment 31 in the direction of the arrow 49, and the connecting rod 9 will of course revolve the crank-shaft 7 in the direction indicated by the "arrow, and the motion of the crank-shaft will rotate the planet gear wheels 18 around the fixed gear wheels 16, and thereby rotate the cylinder and main-shaft.

parts will take place as the piston is vi- .brated by the consecutive explosions.

piston 5 will, of

Continuous rotation of the form a pressure generating chamber in the annular space between said piston and said abutment; suitable means for admitting gas to said pressure-chamber While said cylinder `is moving; means for 'exhausting the waste .gases from said pressure chamber, and gearing which connects said crank-shaft to said fixed support.

2. The improved rotaryengine, comprising a fixed support, Va main-shaft mounted in bearings ony said support, a circularlybored revoluble-cylinder fixed to vsaid mainshaft, a crank-shaft mounted in bearingsin said cylinder to rotate therein and there-- with, a segmental piston arranged to vibrate for making contact with said sparking-de-- 'Vice and causing it to emit a spark as it rotates.

In testimony whereof, I have signed my name'. to this specification, in presence of two subscribing witnesses.

HENRY HENDRICKS.

Titnesses E. L. WALLACE, JOHN C. HIeDoN.

Gopiesof this patent may be obtained for ve cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents,

Washington, D. C. 

